The Best Thing Chibnall Has Ever Written

Chibnall may be a controversial figure in the Doctor Who landscape, but it's hard to deny the Torchwood Season 2 episode Adrift is an absolutely phenomenal piece of television with perfect human drama
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#DoctorWho #Torchwood #Review

[@HarboWholmes]

Oh no! The Rift stole the Waters of Mars video, donate to get it back: www.patreon.com/harbowholmes

[@emmiannon1266]

Please harbo, we're thristy

[@madmangogaming]

I think this shows Chibnall's strengths as a writer absolutely do not come in the form of high concept sci-fi but grounded human drama

[@nicolebee3283]

The line in this episode that breaks is me is something like “sometimes I sleep in his bed, but every time I do it smells less like him” it’s heartbreaking

[@sleepwalking3345]

Just READING that made me tear up

[@bloodyneptune]

_Chibnall_ wrote this? _Chibnall_ wrote my favourite Torchwood episode? Im having a real crisis right now...

[@ink_blot25]

*reassuring pat* It's ok. We've all been there

[@Alia-bc3rc]

Yeah, as well as Fragments. Chibnall wrote the story that I believe one of the best, not just in Torchwood, but also in Doctor Who Universe. Between this and the "fam", I don't know what the hell happened.

[@kylemccrory2031]

Chibnall IS a good writer. Doctor who just isn't for him.

[@umwha]

I genuinely don’t understand how chibs did this then the fam

[@abigailwildlife1322]

Trust he wrote broadchurch my expectations were so high

[@user-jn1wm3tb8v]

I genuinely understand the mother. If my daughter ever vanished I'd rather have her go away than know how much she suffered.

[@korpus1319]

Honestly, it made me angry how she reacted. He's still her son... But i understand it must really really hurt

[@Nutter666]

The thing which has always bothered me about this, is that they don't need "with hindsight", they have Retcon... she could have used it and wiped the mother's memory of seeing him, reset her back to the hopeful, maybe he's out there state again.

[@somerandomguy2073]

If they did that, what about Jonah? From his perspective, his mother finally found him, hugged him, saw him at his lowest moment and then left him and never came back. That's beyond horrible and cruel.

[@212mochaman]

@@somerandomguy2073 the thing is though gwen could still tell the mother about retcon and ask if she wants/needs to use it. Seeing the mother say what you just said would be "Mother's love" perfection in a 30 second scene

[@FaolanCortez]

I have to admit, when I first watched this episode when I was about 13, I firmly believed ‘Adrift’ was boring because it didn’t have the flare of monsters and everyone being complete douches to Gwen. Heck, I even remember falling asleep while watching since I was so uninvested. But, after I got the Torchwood box sets for my 19th birthday and rewatched ‘Adrift’, I actually cried. It was like my mind was blown apart from what I now know the episode is really like. 🤯 It’s definitely one of the more likeable Chibnall episodes out there, up there with ‘Fragments’ and ‘Exit Wounds’. Which I’m extremely excited to see the reviews for very soon! I’m predicting an S for ‘Fragments’ and an A for ‘Exit Wounds’! If I’m right, then I’ll up my Patreon level. YOLO 😂

[@LabradorIndependent]

Both Torchwood and Doctor Who have an incredible way of hitting differently as an adult. Genuinely outstanding television.

[@goob_goob_gooby_goob]

So, about that companion support group

[@Ben-vf5gk]

I really hope that we see this Chibnall in S13. Even if it's just one episode. Rtd and Moffat both had restrained one-off episodes late in their career that focused on dark drama- Midnight and Heaven Sent. Stubagful described them as seeming like Russell and Steven had these ideas ages ago but we're unsure about them and decided to try them when they were nearing the end of their tenures.

[@BambiTrout]

Definitely agree. It's so odd to me how Chibnall's character work in his Torchwood can be so electric and inspired, yet his Doctor Who characterisation is just so inconsistent and lifeless, and tbh one of the worst things about S11 & 12. I feel like he's almost got kid gloves on for Doctor Who - like he's trying to avoid getting too deep or complex or dark with the character writing so as not to confuse the kids or something. The thing is that as a child during the RTD era, the episodes that got darker and more character driven actually tended to be my favourites (read: the most traumatic). The Satan Pit, The Family of Blood, Blink, Midnight, Silence in the Library - those were the episodes that stuck with me and really had me gripped, and I know my younger brother would have said the same thing. We might have been fucking weirdos, but those consistently seem to be the most highly recommended episodes by most people of all ages. Yes, I came away with several nightmares from those episodes, but you just could NOT look away, even during the quiet scenes, because you cared about every character. She only had about 2 minutes of screen time, but Scooti Manista's name was burned into my memory forever. That is Chibnall's bread and butter in Torchwood, so it's just insane to me that he has failed to replicate that with his own work on Doctor Who. Even 42 and Dinosaurs on a Spaceship are relatively weak in these regards. I feel like either he's intentionally dumbing it down for the kiddies (which is unnecessary), or he's getting too bogged down in the pure sci-fi concepts and "hero beats villain" aspects of Doctor Who, which he struggles with, and the characterisation has suffered as a result.

[@klop4228]

@@BambiTrout Yeah, I feel like he might be equating 'dark' with 'mature' (though Torchwood had a couple moments of "look at me I'm an adult show!") and so avoiding it all. Dunno if that's a completely fair assessment, but he certainly did a better job on Torchwood than on Doctor Who.

[@tardistime6857]

Don’t get your hopes up

[@Ben-vf5gk]

@@tardistime6857 Don't worry my cynicism is at an all time high. Given that the last series is one serial and the others are specials I don't know where Chibnall would fit in a restrained one-off mature drama episode. And if we do get it, I'm not necessarily expecting the next Midnight or Heaven Sent. But we'll see

[@camerongooch9606]

After a decade of forgetting it even existed and a need for who material with the latest 2 seasons killing the mainline show I started watching the first season of torchwood. My favourite thing so far is how cap jack isn't the doctor, he can't just pull a win out of nowhere like the doctor, when given a choice between 1 girl and the world he doesn't choose option 3 he chooses the cold option because as a human that's all he can do.

[@brasstail]

It always frustrated me that none of the carers mentioned Jonah’s screaming/trauma before his mother was brought in to see him and had to experience that horrifying screaming for herself which made the experience of the reunion so much worse. The fact that they couldn’t have warned her better that contributed to losing hope and crushing any good memories she had left of Jonah felt like such a loose thread and unnecessary plot device/piece of information left out to make the ending more hard hitting. All in all a very powerful episode though, and I always love the commentaries.

[@Musydid911]

9:08 proof that chibnall was always watching

[@JosephDickson]

Like Children of Earth this episode was a great example of the limitations placed on the cast of relatively normal people living in the Whoverse.

[@smlb1352]

what most people miss in this episode (me included until someone pointed it out to me) is that it's heavily implied that Ianto is the one who gave Gwen the package that led her to the island - meaning he knew about it and wanted her to discover it. I could write an essay on the way this show mistreated Ianto as a character, but I think this is an interesting story beat for him in that he is aware of what's going on and is giving Gwen that closure that she is trying to find for Jonah's mother (but just like everything else with him it's left undeveloped in the show and he is reduced to a one note love interest that is constantly being disrespected)

[@EditedAF987]

If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend checking out the Big Finish audios if you want more Ianto development. Fall to Earth, Broken, The Last Beacon, Serenity and Outbreak really let him shine. Same goes for pretty much everyone in the Torchwood cast actually, even PC Andy gets some exploration.

[@nicoleturner1851]

Also reading the Torchwood Books, Ianto feels more connected to the group in them.

[@EmpireGamingWynter]

I saw this when it first aired and it shocked me. I re-watched it for the first time since becoming a parent recently thinking "ah I've seen it before, its not gonna be that shocking" definitely hits you differently when you have kids knowing the story is a parent losing their child and not knowing where they are, and the discovery at the end. Such a great episode.

[@arraneeno]

Tbh as a carer who looks after those with dementia, a condition that drastically changes someone mentally and warps their personality and behaviour. I can't help but find myself angry at the mum for not visiting him, I don't see it as too different to rejecting your mum because her dementia makes her angry and unstable.

[@mrdr0161]

Yeah I agree. I understand its hard for her, but he's still her son and all he's ever wanted is to be with her again and she's rejecting him

[@korpus1319]

Same! I wanna work as a psychologist and care for thoes with mental health issues. I understand it would hurt to see but he's still her son

[@korpus1319]

@@mrdr0161 she should at least visit for his sake, i understand it would really affect her but still it's not his fault

[@jackjordan5833]

I wish Chibnall’s writing on Doctor Who was as good as Torchwood. I hope once he leaves we can look back on some of his work on Torchwood and appreciate and it isn’t tarnished by his controversial writing on Doctor Who. His Doctor Who scripts might not be great but he can write dark human drama exceptionally.

[@Johnbf]

Are you going to be covering Children of Earth (the best thing in the Whoniverse) and Miracle Day?

[@Jedi_Spartan]

I'm hoping he will. I'm more unsure whether they'll be covered in a single video each or covering each episode individually.

[@TheWolfXCIX]

@@Jedi_Spartan Children of Earth would probably need 5 videos, there's too much to discuss. Miracle Day I don't care as much, it's not very interesting

[@Gengu]

@@TheWolfXCIX he stated on Twitter it would be one long video

[@sleepwalking3345]

I hope so! I loved COE so ill love seeing the ep (even my dr who, scifi hating mum loved children of the earth) i also really want to see him rip miracle day to ABSOLUTE SHREADS. I hated it and couldnt even get past the second episode

[@flyhyland]

Man, this episode disturbed me when I watched it when I was younger.

[@212mochaman]

There's one thing that holds this back from being an s tier episode for me and its right at the end. Retcon is used/talked about in about half the episodes up to this point. And it seems it serves as a function to keep torchwood/alien anonymity. Why does gwen not ask the mother on screen if she wants to forget? And get that hope back. It's the one time out of everything where retcon is an actual happy ending

[@nightowl8477]

Definitely Chris's best. Missing Persons grief is a difficult thing to tackle, but Chris seems to understand it pretty intimately. One of the best explorations of it I've seen.

[@ff10fire666]

Wait the guy who pretty much killed dw for most fans made two of the best episodes in torchwood. This has proven hecan't write sci-fi/fantasy stories but can write realistic, dark, dramas. Why did the BBC think his writing style would work for DW?

[@Cossfrack]

This has always been one of my favourite episodes, but I didn't know it was a chibnal. I agree, the best thing he's ever done in the doctor who universe.

[@klop4228]

I hate this episode for all the right reasons lol. It's amazingly written, but it stresses me out so much that I don't think I could watch it very often.

[@korpus1319]

Same, it's painful

[@bmvthemoviefanatic7282]

An absolutely phenomenal episode. 100% agree: Chibnall's best story in the Whoniverse.

[@ensor2872]

Best thing Chibnall's ever written? His letter of resignation from the position of Dr. Who showrunner, obviously.

[@-haclong2366]

L.O.L. Too soon maybe, guess that Harbo will have to do a full autopsy of Chibnall's career on Doctor Who with this probably will be the highest ranking Chibnall episode.

[@henryg4377]

@@-haclong2366 No one ever puts it like L. O. L. I think I'll use that...

[@OkMakuTree]

OUCH lol

[@lp-xl9ld]

I'd gotten the DVD set from my local library and generally I'd try to tear through the episodes as fast as possible, especially considering I only had the set for 1 week. But after I saw this one I couldn't watch any more of it that night...

[@tr1ing2h3rd7]

I don't understand how anyone can dislike reviews as good as this.

[@hermiona1147]

Oh dang I didnt know Chibnall wrote this. This is indeed a very good episode.

[@iamliberator1101]

news flash from 2024. Chibbers heard about the companions' support group

[@libbyford6765]

I remember years ago I started watching torchwood when I was way too young, maybe 11 or 12 and I stopped after this episode. It was too much for me to handle and I just couldn’t watch any more, I had to completely forget about it to be able to move on. I later revisited the series and now I see the brilliance of this episode but it definitely isn’t for kids to watch. Do heart breaking and that scream always makes my heart break

[@merlin8046]

Oh shit it's my favorite and no matter how many times I'll watch it, it still leaves me emotional AF. And now I'll listen to you to know exactly why.

[@jessica23claire]

I'll also not spoil anything about Andy in Big Finish but needless to say it's so worth the listen, he gets so much time to shine and we learn more about him! It's great.

[@cillianennis9921]

Techniquly in the episode with Tommy he went back in time being token back one way and the same in the episode captain hake harkness

[@joseignacioreallozano348]

I never got the plot of 'the rift only goes one way'. I always assumed it was both ways, and... Diane is it? Owen's girlfriend, did go back through the rift, back in s1, an mobody bat an eye, so I guessed it was a known thing

[@forcedalek]

Could someone reply with the big finish spoiler, I want to know 😂

[@EditedAF987]

Spoilers Andy ended up dating the former leader of Torchwood 1: Yvonne Hartman (an alternate universe version who escaped from Pete’s World for clarification).

[@forcedalek]

@@EditedAF987 Ahh thank you!!

[@ByddinRhyddidCymru]

Here’s something that’s not very interesting, Ynys Echni, the island where this episode was filmed, is the southernmost point in Wales

[@TheGodOfGravy]

Hey! That’s the community centre from the birthday party episode of Gavin & Stacey.

[@Fredsterface]

When you eventually cover children of earth. Please do a massive video covering it all in one. Would make sense considering children of earth is all connected

[@kieraburgess3431]

Rory's dad in the support group 😥

[@Gaht64]

I don't remember much about Torchwood except a few key bits, but the ending of this episode I've never and probably never will forget. It just feels too real and adaptable to everyday decisions. Chills.

[@thogthemighty7960]

This is one of my absolute favorites

[@ko379]

I mean... someone going missing and coming back disfigured and with mental trauma... does happen? Even if they’d never be back to normal, I’d want to know so I could visit often. I never saw the episode but it seems to me like that mom is super selfish and her decision is not at all justified.

[@saffronia2992]

He was also aged several years.

[@ko379]

@@saffronia2992 admittedly that doesn’t usually happen irl. But still seems pretty monstrous and selfish to not visit him for that.

[@212mochaman]

@@ko379 it was never implied that she would never visit again. In fact the opposite was. Torchwood talks about retcon in half the episodes upto that point. Except this one. Because the mother and gwen both knew what you said

[@EmoBearRights]

Couldn't Gwen have retconned Nicky?

[@winternow2242]

I guess it was a powerful episode, but it just didn't register with me because it didn't seem to leave its mark on the rest of the series. Much of the show's strongest moments are like this one, where seemingly ordinarily people have their lives changed by the weird universe just beyond our sight (or prove to be the part of that darker universe), and how the characters on TW were also changed. I kept expecting the real dark ending to be the reveal that Gwen has already solved many of the mysteries, and keeps coming back to Jack's secret holding cell, only she doesn't remember because she takes Retcon to deal with the pain.

[@conkerzone]

Man i always skip the scene where she reunites with her son, every time I re-watch the show

[@PathsUnwritten]

Sly Yvonne reference, Mr Harbo.

[@abcdefgh6951]

this makes me think why dont they just evacuate the city somewhere else

[@flora5090]

Excellent analysis of an excellent episode.

[@AFriendRemembers]

Definitely a strong series 2 episode, nice review Your going to have to do that big finish review now though- got me super curious

[@VixOfAllTrades]

Another great break down. Thank you for this, appreciate your hard work 👌

[@bubbajordvlogs1297]

I always imagen he went to galifray when the doctor burnt it

[@krekklesedits]

someone whos heard the books clue me in on the Andy spoiler?

[@sleepwalking3345]

Commenting bc i also wanna know

[@EditedAF987]

Spoilers: He ended up dating Yvonne Hartman (an alternate version that escaped from Pete’s World that is)

[@Wagga.b]

This might sound like a back handed compliment but you've become much more enjoyable to watch. I've watched a couple of your videos in the past and liked the content, but felt like your presentation was way off. to say politely you came off as stiff. Idk just cool to see.

[@sleepwalking3345]

I know what you mean. I like his old content but theres deffo more humor in his scripts now. Probably gotten more comfortable with talking into a mic ig

[@olliemoore7508]

What is andy's big finish ending??

[@PathsUnwritten]

He ends up with Pete's World Yvonne (boss of Torchwood 1).

[@eataneraser]

CHIBNALL straight wrote this one? What is wrong with that dude that he keeps attempting sci-fi when he can write Broadchurch? Certified maniac.

[@sleepwalking3345]

Great vid man, i completely agree!

[@henryg4377]

Short but sweet.

[@bubbajordvlogs1297]

What did andy get in the big finish story

[@lazulenoc6863]

How did Chibnall do so well with sci-fi?

[@mattthesilent777RED]

He did well when he wasn't in charge

[@Emperor_mtn_Dew]

Plothole!!!! They couldve just given Niki a forgetting pill and she wouldve been "fine"

[@212mochaman]

And Jonah wouldnt be

[@Jedi_Spartan]

Normally I'd quote from Stubagful at this point but Adrift is too well written. Here's the link to the Adrift segment of Stu's 'Snuggly Chibnall Time' though: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqPJc3qPmMyHh6M

[@jeckjeck3119]

I've been saying this for years!

[@vortexgamer2870]

Nice 10/10

[@Timmymantwo]

The title almost put me off ngl

[@tiberiuscodius5828]

What about Broadchurch?

[@thehorrorcounselors4747]

There’s good news. Chibnall and Whittaker have both left doctor who starting from 2020/23 onwards

[@booradley8895]

Wow thanks for the unrelated news

[@thehorrorcounselors4747]

@@booradley8895 no problem

[@sleepwalking3345]

Sad. They both had so much potential. Of course people are gonna say it proof of woke ness gone wrong.

[@lordbuss]

The fact Whittaker left is not good news. It would have been cool to have one season with her but different showrunner. Both to see her acting, and see a thematic interpretation of the parts that seasons 11-12 got wrong.

[@flyhyland]

His resignation letter.

[@flyhyland]

Nevermind, folks already beat me to the joke.

[@sheepincherubsclothing]

bold of you to assume ianto isn't in love with gwen (plus you saying just bar ianto implies also tosh and possibly suzie are in love with her which is so true i think)

[@alternatethirteenth5594]

I'm sorry but I find Adrift tedious and heavily overrated. It's not BAD, just doesn't do it for me unlike Countrycide, my favourite Torchwood episode

[@sleepwalking3345]

Basic lmao

[@alternatethirteenth5594]

@@sleepwalking3345 And...?

[@ethansomething9365]

This is impossible! Chibnall always bad!-most of th who community

[@DanTheMan2150AD]

Should have made this a Chibnall bad video… get all those algorithm clicks.

[@blobfish5730]

True.

[@benpinches9423]

cant ever watch this episode, to tragic

[@henryg4377]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@Daniel_leading_the_13_Plateans]

Wow

[@AiRsTrIkExXzZ]

Wait. A good episode made by Chris chibnall???

[@antrazitaj5209]

The best writing of Chibnall was Broadchurch

[@nevem5010]

💗

[@Natival]

couldnt disagree more, not knowing is worse. Gwen did her a favor.

[@mrdr0161]

Have you been in her position? To have your son go missing then return as a man older than you who is scarred physically and mentally and screams for 20 hours a day?

[@isabellaearnhardt6380]

:-)

[@tapdancingrabbits124]

Can anyone tell me what happened to Andy in Big Finish, please

[@EditedAF987]

Spoilers: He ended up dating a version of Yvonne Hartman that escaped from Pete’s World.